Difficulty: Medium (two hanging bridges)
Length: 3h 50 (one way)
Location: Valais, Val de Bagnes
Looking for a beautiful night right next to a Glacier?
This mountain refuge will be your destination! Located right on the Morène of the Corbassière Glacier, the FXB Panossière offers a breathtaking landscape and a wonderful hike.
There are multiple ways to start that hike with different lengths and difficulties – all depending on what you want.
The itinerary we chose started from the Hut Brunet and can be easily reached by car. There are two parking lots – one directly next to the hut and one a 500 meter before.
From there, the hike starts with a “fake/fals” flat with low elevation gain. You will then reach a cross-section with two itinerary options:
– Through the col of Avouillons: longer version of 4h with more elevation gain but a great view (if the weather allows) and a steep way down
– Through the bridge that will be on your right (3h): less elevation gain
Regardless of what you chose, both options will bring you at the famous Corbassière hanging bridge.
This hanging steel bridge is definitely a highlight! While it was built in 2014 right above the glacier, you are now crossing a river with waterfalls.
A picture next to the bridge also shows you how quickly these glaciers are melting and will probably disappear in a couple of years.
After that bridge, the path works its way through a rocky landscape with some elevation gain, along the glacier.
You will reach the hut within 50 min more or less.
From there, the view is simply breathtaking – and sad at the same time!
You will realize the size and expand of that glacier, but also the damage it has witnessed and the grim future that awaits.
The night was unfortunately extremely stormy for us – early in the morning I woke up for the sunrise , had breakfast and made it all the way back to the car.
Funnily, the way back took us 1h more as we stopped everywhere for pictures.
Overall, this place was a great discovery and an exceptional landscape! Definitely worth it if you want to spend the night next to a glacier!